COMMUNITY markets - summer staples of the south-west - have a heightened sense of importance this year post-COVID, with shoppers making a more conscious effort to shop local.
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Janelle and Maddison Baulch, from Warrnambool and Orford, had such a focus as they hit Dennington's Market by the Merri on Saturday.
"We're trying to get all of our Christmas presents locally," Janelle said.
"We'll also be staying around here over the holidays, staying in Port Fairy close to home and supporting local people."
The pandemic presented a new business venture opportunity for Grassmere's Laura Nowell, who just launched her Buzzy Bees business making eco-friendly beeswax wraps as an alternative to plastic cling wrap.
The Dennington market was her first displaying her new products.
"I found I had a lot more spare time with COVID so I started making beeswax wraps," she said.
"I bought some myself 12 months ago and had a go at making them myself.
"I'll keep coming back to this market and possibly the summer markets like Lake Pertobe.
"Supporting local is really important, especially at this time."
Her wraps are made using 100 per cent cotton, beezwax, jojoba oil and pine resin.
Warrnambool's Teremayi Manozho would usually travel interstate selling hand-woven baskets from Ghana, sent to her by her mother.
Before the pandemic she was often seen in local classrooms teaching children about African music, culture and dance.
"I get to sell the baskets, that's the easy part, it can take my mum and the women who make them with her anywhere from a few hours to a day to make them," Teremayi said.
"It's been good, people are really warming up to the baskets.
"I really like Afrocentric things, it makes me miss home, even though I am Australian as well.
"I think it's really cool to be able to bring part of me and my culture here too through these things."
She said the pandemic meant adapting the way she taught her classes.
"Without COVID I did workshops with kids in preschool with costumes, dress ups, music and dancing," she said.
"The children just love it, they get to wear costumes from my cultural heritage, play the drums and instruments and learn.
"I found in the pandemic I was able to send the costumes and instruments to the schools. I was so used to interacting with the children it was hard at first, but I also found it to be more effective in some ways.
"It's so good to be back, I missed the human interaction."
Australian shoppers are tipped shake off their COVID-19 crisis blues and spend big this Christmas.
The forecast splurge will help the pandemic-ravaged retail sector start recovering, the National Retail Association says.
"Retail has experienced a roller-coaster year, with businesses across Australia forced to navigate lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19," chief executive Dominique Lamb said.
"Many businesses desperately need a Christmas sales boost to keep themselves afloat as we head into 2021."
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